by Marcus Brooks

Created on: January 13, 2009

The Presidential Election of 2000 had its share of controversy. Democratic nominee, Al Gore pushed his environmental platform. Republican nominee, George W. Bush followed his father's path to Commander in Chief. He wanted to strengthen America's standing in the world and to protect our borders. Gore focused his energies with domestic issues such as, education and the environment. Bush focused his energies on the military, National Security and foreign policy. This duel made for a bitterly contested election.

Bush became president on November 8th. His victory came at Florida's expense or incompetence. State auditors miscounted the votes. It took an extra week to make the Texas Republican's appointment official. Only a year passed by when he was severely challenged.

Afghan terrorist, Osama Bin Laden orchestrated the deadliest mass murder in America's history. Over 3,500 civilians and military personnel died as three planes crashed into New York City's Twin Towers and Washington, D.C.'s Pentagon office. A fourth plane went down in a Pennsylvania field. United 93 passengers sacrificed their lives to stop terrorists from using the commercial plane as a missile. Palestinians in Israel's Gaza Strip cheered and danced as the Towers crumbled to the ground. Bin Laden waited in Afghanistan. He was protected by the ruling, Taliban regime.

President Bush gave a 30-day deadline to the hard-line Muslim government. He demanded them to destroy their terrorist camps and extradiate Bin Laden to the United States. His demands met refusal and a threat against the U.S. military.

In October 2001, he issued the go-ahead to America's five year "war on global terror". At the height of violence in Afghanistan, President Bush garnered a 72% approval rating. It was the highest public rating ever for a president during wartime. He also helped construct our nation's Homeland Security. He brought together the F.B.I (Federal Bureau of Investigation), the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), the Border Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard for one, ongoing mission. They were to keep America's mainland safe from terror attacks.

President Bush made Americans feel safe at home. He sent the Armed Forces abroad to battle Islamic fundamentalist militants. He also took on a personal vendetta to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeada terror network. Since the terror war began, over 50 leaders of Al Qaeada have been captured, executed or killed. The terror network lost over 100,000 operatives and insurgents killed or captured; including high-ranking officers, like Al Zarquarwi and Khalid Mohammed.

For the most part, Al Qaeada has limited itself to regional attacks in Iraq and other Muslim countries. They lacked the funding, material and manpower for a spectacular attack on U.S. soil. Over a year and a half ago, operatives bombed the Marriott Hotel in Cairo, Egypt; killing 85 Westerners; most of them Israelis. However, the government Tel Aviv has settled its score through assassination and terrorizing the terrorists. America hasn't been touched for over seven years.

Despite his under 30% approval rating now, President Bush made his legacy. He stood up and dealt severe blows to international terror. We may have questioned his fortitude and concern for the poor in Hurricane Katrina (2005). We may have thought he lied about invading Iraq as to free that nation and not grab its oil. We may have thought he knew nothing of the damage his Iraq war and over-spending did to hasten our recession.

However, he kept Americans from state-sponsored and exported murder by terrorists. There have been no more 9/11s. And that has deserved many thank yous from us.

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